Renault Duster Techno 1.3 Turbo Petrol DCT

Hi Autocar, I’m looking for a petrol SUV under Rs 18 lakh with a manual transmission. I live in a small town and travel to Bengaluru occasionally. Most of my driving is a mix of city and highway use, with some hill driving, and I expect to cover around 5,000–8,000 km a year. I’m not looking for excessive features, as I feel the more electronics and automation a car has, the higher the maintenance costs can be. My priorities are a strong SUV stance and commanding driving position, good safety, annual maintenance costs below Rs 10,000, decent mileage, good road presence, predictable handling and comfortable ride quality. I also go trekking and take part in other outdoor activities, so some light off-road capability would be useful. Nothing extreme, but enough ground clearance and confidence to tackle rough patches and uneven roads. At the moment, I’m considering the Honda Elevate and Renault Duster, but I’m slightly concerned about long-term maintenance and after-sales support. From what I understand, Honda parts are generally sourced through its authorised network, while the Duster is not particularly known for having strong after-sales support. Could you please suggest which SUV would be the better choice for my requirements? Any other recommendations would also be helpful.

I am confused between the following cars: Renault Duster Adventure 1.3 DCT, Kia Seltos HTK(O) IVT, and Hyundai Creta S(O) IVT. We are a family of 3-4 with average builds, and we have comfortably used a Tiago for the last 6-7 years. I know I will enjoy driving the Duster, but from a practical standpoint, even the Kia and Creta seem very good at this point. Hence, the confusion. I haven't done many long trips in the Tiago, but I am planning to change that with the new car. I mainly want a car with comfortable ride quality that I can enjoy for a long time.

I want to buy the new Renault Duster 1.3 Turbo DCT. Is it a good choice, considering my usage is mostly city driving with an average monthly running of around 800-900 km? I am also considering the Hyundai Creta. Between the Duster and the Creta, which one would you recommend for my requirements?

How is Renault Duster new compared XUV 700 AX L

​I am upgrading from my 2019 Tata Tiago (1,30,000 km clocked) to a manual SUV. ​Driving Profile & Driver Stats: ​Driver: 6'2" (188 cm), 90 kg — need good headroom, under-thigh support, and legroom. ​Terrain: High-speed multi-lane highways + steep, winding mountain climbs (hairpins, heavy loads, broken roads). ​Core Needs: ​Strong low-RPM torque for steep climbs (minimal gear-hunting). ​Decent fuel efficiency under heavy uphill loads. ​Comfortable ride quality and solid highway stability. ​Cars Under Consideration (Buy Now): ​Mahindra XUV7XO 2.2L Diesel MT ​Kia Seltos 1.5L Diesel MT ​Renault Duster 1.3L Turbo Petrol MT ​Or Should I Wait? ​Upcoming Updates: Wait for models like the Scorpio-N facelift or Mahindra's upcoming Vision S? ​Strong Hybrids: Wait for upcoming hybrid SUVs, or will small hybrid batteries drain quickly on prolonged mountain ascents? ​Given my height, driving mix, and intent to keep the car for 1+ lakh km, which model or strategy would you recommend?